Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 36 -

I couldn't help but feel my cheeks flush as I remembered Kenzo's subtle flirting. It was the first time I had seen him alone, and the knowledge of his attraction to me added an extra layer of uncertainty to the situation. Our eyes met, and he stopped in his tracks. "Hey," he greeted me with a warm smile.

"Hey," I replied softly, my voice betraying a hint of nervousness. This was uncharted territory for me, being in the presence of a guy who clearly was interested in me and I wasn't entirely sure how to navigate it. "Are you done eating?" Kenzo asked, stepping closer to stand in front of me.

"Yeah, but there's still a ton of food left," I replied, trying to keep the conversation casual. "A friend just joined us, and I doubt we can finish everything."

"No worries," he assured me. "I'll ask Miko to pack up the leftovers so you can take them home. Or, if it's too much to carry along with your other stuff, I can drop them off for you later."

I was pleasantly surprised. "Do you offer takeout here too?"

"Not officially," he admitted, a mischievous glint in his eyes. His mouth quirked in an irresistible smirk. "But for you, I'd make an exception."

His words sent a flutter through my chest, and I couldn't help but blush. Kenzo's intensity was both captivating and intimidating, causing my thoughts to scatter like leaves in the wind. I had never been skilled at handling flattery, and my usual response was to freeze up when someone flirted with me. This situation was no different.

Kenzo chuckled softly, his voice laced with an undeniable charm. "True, true," he conceded, leaning casually against the opposite wall, hands in the pockets of his jeans. "But sometimes, you just click with someone right away. You feel a connection, like you've known them for ages. And that's what I feel when it comes to you, Jess."

"Oh?" I replied, accompanied by a shy smile.

Kenzo leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to an intimate murmur. "Jessica, if you ever need anything, just let me know. Whether it's a special meal, some company, or just a chat over coffee."

My heart raced, torn between the thrill of his attention and the fear of misreading the situation. "I appreciate that, Kenzo. You're a wonderful neighbor."

His laughter was a warm, melodious sound, and he continued to hold my gaze in a way that let me know, without words, that he'd like to become more than just a neighbor.

There was no misreading this signal and it was clear he was leaving it up to me if I wanted to take things a step further or not.

I chose to do neither. Instead I chickened out. I cleared my throat, "Um...I should get back, my friends are waiting."

Regret crossed his face for a second then he nodded and straightened. "Yeah, sure. I need to get back to cooking as well."

With one last wink, Kenzo retreated back to the kitchen, leaving my heart still racing, and my mind buzzed with a whirlwind of questions and emotions. His subtle flirtation had left me both flustered and intrigued, and I couldn't deny the growing attraction between us, even though I remained uncertain about where this unexpected connection might lead.

Still flustered, I continued on my way, then stopped in surprise when I noticed Vince sitting alone. Anna was nowhere to be found and I was sure I hadn't passed her on the way to the restroom.

"Where's Anna?" I asked, scanning the room again in case I'd missed something.

Vincent looked up from the teacup he'd been staring into, his expression as stormy as rain clouds.

"She left." He gritted out the words, a muscle ticking in jaw in anger.

My heart sank as I took my seat. I'd left my phone at the table and when I checked the screen, I saw a text from Anna.

Anna: Sorry, I tried to apologize but I think he despises me now. Will call later.

I sighed and sent a reply. U okay? Where r you? I can come now if u like.

She didn't respond right away so I turned back to Vincent, my brow raised. "Do you hate her?" I asked, deciding to be blunt.

His gaze snapped to me. "Hate is a strong word."

"OK, then how about despise? Do you? Because she seems to think so."

"You know what she did, right?" He asked, instead of answering my question. I hesitated for a bit, then nodded.

He leaned back in his chair and studied the patterns on the ceiling. "Then you should have your answer."

"Vince, I -"

He cut me off with, "You said you had something to ask me? What is it?"

I sighed in defeat, knowing that was all I would get out of him regarding Anna. I pushed my worry for my friend aside for the moment.

"There's something that's been bothering me about my marriage," I said, choosing my words with care.

I caught a glimpse of wariness in his expression but he quickly squashed it. He looked at me for a moment, mouth set in a thin line. "Isn't this something best discussed with Aiden?"

I pinned him with a determined stare. "I'm asking you because I know Aiden won't tell me anything if I asked"" I softened my voice, adding a tinge of plea. "I was kind of hoping you would understand my curiosity and help me with some answers."

He considered this for a moment then shrugged. "I'll try to answer as much as I can, but I can't promise you it'll be the answers you'd want."

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"Fair enough," I nodded and leaned forward, pushing my used plate aside to rest my arms on the table. "Why was Julian so set on Aiden and I getting married?"

An eyebrow rose in surprise. "Because he thought the two of you were a good fit?" He made it sound like he was asking me instead.

"See, I used to believe that, but -" I paused and contemplated my next words. "That was before I found out that one of Julian's stipulations for the marriage was that Aiden could not divorce me unless I was the one to initiate the proceedings." He tried to mask his surprise that I knew so much with a smile, but I saw through it. "I'm not aware of that."

"Really?" I matched his fake nonchalant tone. "Well, that's a shock then, considering my source."

"Your source?" He repeated.

I leaned in closer, my voice still laced with suspicion. "Yes, my source," I replied, emphasizing each word. "I overheard Aiden and you talking about it one night, Vince." Vincent's facade of indifference cracked just a bit, and he sighed. "Jessica, there are things you don't understand. Secrets that go beyond what you may have heard."

I nodded, my patience wearing thin. "I get that, Vincent, but I've been living with doubts and questions for far too long. I need to know why Julian was so insistent on this marriage, even if it means unraveling something unpleasant." Vincent leaned forward, his voice low and tinged with reluctance. "It's complicated, Jessica. Julian had his reasons and it's not my place to tell you anything about those, but what I will say was they were not entirely selfless." I frowned, puzzled. "Not selfless? What do you mean?"

Vincent hesitated, then spoke carefully, "Julian had his own motives, motives that were tied to the family's history and his own desires. Jess, I know that to you, Julian Brown was a man deserving of sainthood, but to Aiden and most of us -" He cut off, feeling he had said too much. "You want my advice? If you truly want to stay married to Aiden, have kids, and live on in marital bliss? It may be best to just do it on your own terms. Forget what Julian may or may not have forced Aiden to do in the past. Start fresh with Aiden, work on your relationship, and talk about the past if you must - I know for a fact that he wants the same thing too. He's realized his mistakes and wants to fix them, so I hope you can give him a chance."

My heart pounded at his words, and I whispered, "Vincent, you can't just leave me hanging like this. I...I don't think I can just talk to Aiden like that and you're the only one I know who'll be willing to tell me."

He looked at me with eyes filled with remorse. "I'm really sorry, Jess. Like I said, some secrets are not mine to expose." He glanced at his watch and sighed. "My shift starts in two hours, are you done eating? I'll walk you back to your place before I leave."

Resigned, knowing that was all I would get out of him, I tamped down my disappointment and nodded. He signaled to Miko and when she came over, he asked for the bill.

"Oh -"

"It's on the house." Kenzo cut in, startling me. I hadn't noticed him nearby. His gaze rested on Vince for a moment, then landed on me, that devastating smile in place. "Shall we pack up the rest to go?"

I thought of my pitifully empty fridge and nodded, "Yes, please. Thanks once again for all this."

"No need for thanks," Kenzo replied, with a wink. "I'm happy you enjoyed the meal."

Vincent cleared his throat. "That's very generous of you, Mr.....?"

I gave him a puzzled look at the steel hidden underneath his polite words. Vince watched Kenzo through narrowed eyes, a hard smile on his face.

Kenzo's smile dimmed as he looked at Vince, his expression going carefully neutral. He held out his hand and said politely, "Just Kenzo, please."

"I see." Vincent did not offer his name in return though he took Kenzo's proffered hand in what looked like a crushing handshake. There were undercurrents running through our small gathering.

"Umm, Kenzo is the owner of this place," I rushed to say, feeling a need to break the tense atmosphere. "He's also my neighbor, so this is sort of a welcome-to-neighborhood gift."

An expression I couldn't quite identify crossed Kenzo's face as I talked, and for a moment he looked...crestfallen.

"Kenzo, this is my friend, Vincent." I continued.

Kenzo nodded, his gaze fixed on Vince. "I hope you found the meal to your liking?"

"It was okay," Vince said, shrugging. "I'm not really a fan of noodles, though." He turned to me, "We should be on our way, Jess."

"Okay." Miko returned with a bag containing the food and I thanked her and Kenzo again.

"I'll see you around, Jess," Kenzo called out, as we made our way outside, Vince walked just ahead, his arms full of my shopping bags.

I smiled warmly at him, "Next time, it'll be my treat."

"Looking forward to it."

Vince and I fell into step, a smile still lingering on my lips from talking to Kenzo.

"So, your neighbor," Vince said conversationally, giving me a searching look. "He seems like a friendly sort."

"Yes, he's nice." I agreed, glancing back at the restaurant.

"Too fucking nice," I thought I heard Vince mutter.